A FICkle Problem
by Tine Ghealain
Summary: "Natalia, in an attempt make an impression on her brother, makes a name for herself as an author... the thing is, having a secret pen name can REALLY complicate a new relationship " fluffy Belarus/America. Plot idea by sirvalkyrie on LJ.
1. Chapter 1

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Fingers clicking thoughtfully on keyboard keys.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The hour hand turning slowly.

Tick. Tick-

Natalia stopped, and lifted her head from the computer screen to look out her small window. The sun beamed across the lazy street outside, where people were moving to and from their business as usual. This scene was nothing new, she knew, and turned back to her work.

_'Farid crept across the plank, careful not to draw the attention of the ship's captain. His laser gun strapped to his side, the man poked his head around the corner...'_

And what, she thought? And what did he see? Natalia threw her head into her hands, exhausted. Would he see the captain standing there, ready to shoot? That would lead to a duel to the death, and could she really kill Farid so soon? Her publicist would have a hissy fit.

Fine.

_'The sound of snoring came to his ears. The captain and his men lay strewn about the ground in front of him, all sleeping away what must have been a crazy party. Drawing his gun-'_

"N-Natalia?" The hesitant voice drew her from her work, again. "Ms. Natalia, are you in there?"

"Toris, what do you want?"

"Oh- Um, Ms. Natalia... there is a call for you on line three. Something about a package you need to pick up. W-would you be able to get it, or would you like me to fetch it for you?"

"No, it's fine. Tell them I know what it is, and I'm on my way."

Grabbing her coat, the Belarusian woman closed her document, careful to keep her work a secret, and left the room.

"G'day!" The Lithuanian called after her eagerly, which she ignored as she drew the front door shut. Living in an apartment with him could be bothersome, but he made a decent enough editor. He also kept secrets when threatened, and that was what was important.

Shielding her eyes from the sun and swirling snow, Natalia picked her way down the narrow old sidewalk towards the center of town.

The package! The proof copy must have just come off the press! Smiling slightly to herself, she knew what this meant. Another book to put on the shelf. Another check. More proof that she could sustain herself, even without her brother, Ivan. If he didn't want her, she'd show him she could take care of herself full well. Maybe then he'd love her as much as she loved him.

Snow crunched under her feet as she entered the town square, and swung open the post office door. The room was empty, save for a lone worker and a young man who must have been picking up a package himself.

"May I help you?" the woman behind the counter called, stealing Natalia's attention.

"Yes, is there a package for... um, Timur Tsiotka...?"

The woman gave her an odd look, but went to the back room to check. When she reemerged with a small bundle, Natalia signed for it.

"Thank you."

Turning to leave, she was stopped in her place by a pair of strong hands

"Hey-!" Blonde hair flashed before her as she saw her attacker, "What do you think you're doing?"

"TIMUR TSIOTKA!" he was young, the man, with golden hair, glasses, and an infectious smile spread across his face, "ARE YOU A FAN OF HIS, TOO?"

"I-I..."

"THAT'S SO SWEET, DUDE!"

"Could you just, um, let go-"

"WHAT IS THAT?" he peeked over her shoulder, to see what was in the package, "I HAVEN'T READ THAT ONE! YOU'RE A FAN, AREN'T YOU?"

"Well..."

The young man stared at her excitedly, and she turned to the assistant for help, only to see she had disappeared again into the back room. Damnation.

"Would you like to go to lunch? We could talk about his books, and I know this awesome place~"

The boy never stopped talking, did he?

"I'm sure you'd like it, and to talk to another fan~"

What was she going to do about this now? Only Toris knew about the whole...

"YOU'LL COME, WON'T YOU?"

Not those eyes... his bright blue eyes begged her, and she gave in.

"Whatever."

Letting herself be dragged out of the post office, she wasn't even sure why she had given in in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2

_"I've been a fan of Tsiotka since forever! He's just such a great author, his books really speak to me. All of the action, guns, HEROICS~ He sure knows how to grab someone's attention!_

_Oh, and my name is Alfred! I know we've only just met, but could I ask yours- "_

_"Natalia" _

She was surprised she had been able to keep up with his talking a mile a minute, his incessant voice still rang in her ears as she sat at one of the diner's little tables.

McDonald's didn't hold any appeal to her, but she let it slide.

"Um... two Big Macs, a large fry, and two pops- Hey, Natalia, you want a pop right?"

She nodded quietly.

"Right, two pops. That's all- wait, no, can I get two apple pies, too?~"

Oh, dear, what had she gotten herself into? Natalia rested her head against the table, trying to think things through. Toris would be expecting her back home soon. Making him worry, of course, didn't really bother the Belarusian, but how would she explain going to lunch with a complete stranger? Let alone this boy- Alfred, was it?

" Here we go, Natalia! One for you, one for me, one for you, one for me~" Alfred sat the tray down on the table and began dividing it enthusiastically.

"I hope you don't mind pickles and mustard, I forgot to ask if you wanted them held. If it's not okay, I can always go order a different one! Do you want ketchup? I can go get some! And salt for the fries!"

His voice thrummed like a hornet.

Hard to ignore.

The least she could do was try to follow along, try to enjoy herself.

Enjoy herself?

The only person she wanted to enjoy herself with was her brother, Ivan… right?

Why was she thinking of this, of all things?

Her brother hadn't wanted her.

She didn't need him.

"No, it's fine." Natalia grabbed the hamburger, hoping it would shut him up.

"Okay." He grabbed his own burger and slid into the seat across from her.

"So you're into Sci-fi stuff? That's kind of unusual for a girl, I've never met one that liked that kind of stuff, too! Tony will think I'm lying when I tell him, HAHAHA~! Maybe you could meet him sometime; he's a pretty cool guy. A little strange, of course, but I'm sure you'd like him! Mmph- this burger is good- aakldjkjlsasd! I love this place, it always tastes great- adkfjaldkjf! And it's cheap! My brother Arthur is always telling me it's bad for me- adfjakldlfjd~ but what does he know?"

"You might want to slow down before you choke yourself on those fries," She smiled unexpectedly at his antics, "I wouldn't put much stock in what your brother tells you, though. I'm sure you can take care of yourself!"

"Haha, I guess I can, can't I?~"

The conversation carried on like this, back and forth, the two laughing between the awkwardness. Natalia wasn't used to this… this socializing thing, but Alfred seemed like an old veteran. Except, not at all old. He was like a child, actually, so youthful and energetic. It made her smile.

"So, what brings you in to town today? Other than the package?" Alfred eyed her lazily from across the table, nibbling on what was left of his apple pie.

"Just the package. My, um- friend, Toris, will be wondering what has taken me so long, actually!" She laughed.

"Toris, he seems like a nice…friend… if he'd be worried about you… I'm sorry I've stolen you away from your work!" He looked away awkwardly.

"N-no it's okay, this has been…" Fun? Was the word fun?

"This has been fun."

His head spun back towards her, brightening.

"YEAH! This has been fun, hasn't it?"

That smile again, that infectious smile.

"Yeah, it has."

The two walked through the light snow, Alfred continuing the conversation with gusto. He had insisted on walking her home, and she didn't put up much fight. Those damned blue eyes, begging her silently. How could she not let him, when those were making the argument? They were nasty weapons, she thought. Nasty, beautiful weapons.

"So, this Toris… you live with him, right?" The question came out of nowhere, awkwardly. Awkward was not something that befitted Alfred.

"Yeah, he's more of an editor-" She stopped, realizing her slip….

"He's more of an… associate, than anything else. He works for me."

"Oh! So he's not-" he was too oblivious to catch her slip-up, much to her amusement.

"No, he's not anything like _that_." She could guess what he was about to ask.

He smiled.

"I'd like to see you again, Natalia! If that's okay?"

Alfred watched her carefully, hoping she wouldn't snap at him. He didn't know quite how to judge her. One moment she would be quiet, thoughtful, reserved… the next she'd be smiling happily.

Her smile! It was like a flower that rarely bloomed.

But when it did…

Alfred didn't know a word that could explain it.

He could tell there was something hiding underneath the cloak Natalia had thrown about herself, hid herself away in

And he could tell it was beautiful.

He wanted to get to know that beautiful someone.

She stared at the snowy street absently, thinking. When they had reached her apartment door, she turned back to him.

A little smile crossed her lips.

"That'd be okay."


	3. Chapter 3

"Dinner is ready, Ms. Natalia!" Toris peeked enthusiastically around her office door's frame.

_Click. Click. Click._

He could only see the Belarusian silhouetted in the darkness by her computer's screen.

"Ms. Natalia?"

The girl continued to type quietly.

How long had it been, a week?

When she had gone to fetch parcels, she hadn't seen the strange boy-

Alfred.

His name was Alfred.

"N-Natalia?"

_Click. Click. Click_

"Natalia!"

Huh?

Natalia turned in her chair to see Toris standing at the door.

"How long have you been there?"

Toris sighed inwardy, somthing was on the girl's mind.

"Dinner is ready... I-I just wanted to tell you..."

And the poor boy couldn't have guessed her ailment.

That her mind was tangled in knots, and over a stranger no less.

Dinner was ready, why hadn't he just said so?

She minimized her file and followed him to the kitchen.

"Is something on your mind?" Toris asked awkwardly, eyeing her from over the dish of potatoes that sat steaming at the table's center, "You're not sick, are you?"

In his voice she could hear genuine worry.

She ignored it.

"I'm fine, Toris."

"Because you're brother wouldn't be happy if you fell ill!"

"Brother wouldn't care."

"You don't know how much he cares for you, Natalia." He broke a roll and turned back to watch her pick at a potato with her fork.

"Brother wouldn't care. He doesn't care."

Silence.

What could the boy tell her that would make her believe his words?

Ivan could be strange, but he loved his sisters.

He loved them dearly.

Toris thought that, perhaps, he didn't always know how to show it.

And Natalia… Natalia's desires weren't always the easiest for her brother to grasp.

In that, Toris could understand Ivan's treatment.

They all knew that being away from her brother was good for her,

but they all wished that she'd understand she hadn't been pushed out.

"Toris, do we have a phone book?"

"Yes… why do you ask?"

He always did the calling and planning, it's what she paid him for.

"I need to call someone."

Her chair grinded on the wooden floors.

Someone?

Ivan?

Her sister?

The tap of bare feet in the hall.

Someone tugging wires from the wall and dragging them off further into the apartment.

Had she just unplugged the phone and stole it to her room?

Toris sighed.

What could he do for her?

A phone book…

How did one use these things?

A

Al

Alfred Allen

Alfred Baker

….

Alfred John

Alfred Tripp

….

Had he even said his last name?

And how many Alfred's could there be in one town?

'_I'd like to see you again, Natalia! If that's okay?'_

That idiot!

He couldn't have given her any aid?

Setting the phone on her lap, she began to cross off names.

"Alfred…? Is this-"

_Beep beep beep._

"This is Alfred? Okay, um… do you like French fries?"

_Beep beep beep._

"Alfred! This is Natal-"

_Beep beep beep._

"Oh… wrong number?"

_Beep beep beep._

Natalia sprawled across her bed, what could she do? An hour had passed, and only half of the Alfred's on the list had been crossed off.

What was the point?

Maybe he hadn't given her his full name on purpose…

Maybe he had lied, maybe he had had no intentions of seeing her again?

Was she that easy?

_Thump… thump…_

"Natalia?"

Tori's voice came from outside the door.

Ignoring him, she put out the light.


End file.
